The present invention relates to a continuous color tone background for sensing indicia to identify an object, and which does not use distinct color bars, but rather blends the tones together from one end of a label to another. Additionally, the continuous color tone background may be used with overlaid bars that appear black to a viewer, but made so some of which are infrared sensitive and some of which are not, so that an infrared detector can be utilized for reading the black bar code without the code being identifiable in the visible spectrum.
The use of bar codes that utilize colors for the printed codes which illuminate the code with two different colored lights for detection are known. These include distinct colored bars positioned side by side, and either spaced or contiguous. The sensors used respond to reflected light from the color code.
Additionally, infrared sensitive bar codes have been used in the past where the bar code marks are visible when illuminated in the light of a frequency outside the visible spectrum, specifically infrared light.
The invention utilizes the reflective properties of different colors to detect the presence of objects and identify labels with bars of unique colors and color intensities. One application is for devices, such as printers, that use different types of consumables such as the ink supplies or the printer ribbons. Without the invention there is the potential that the user will install the wrong consumable for the particular job to be done. The present invention provides a method and apparatus to verify the properties of consumables before functioning to detect the presence of the wrong consumable and warn the user before a mistake is made.
An example is an ink jet printer that accepts either a color or monochrome ink cartridge. When a print command file is sent from a controlling computer to the printer, the user must be sure the right type of ink cartridge is in the printer, based upon whether a color or monochrome image is to be printed. The bar code of the present invention is used to detect and identify the ink cartridge prior to printing, and if the wrong cartridge type is detected a warning is provided to the user.
Another example is a printer that accepts many different print ribbon types such as thermal transfer or dye sublimation printers. The present invention will permit an operator to make sure the proper ribbon has been installed and that the ribbon is installed properly.
Other consumable examples includes toner for printers and photocopiers, replaceable printheads, and all types of substrates onto which an image is printed. The present invention can be used to identify and control the proper replacement of any part that can be labeled. The present invention can also be used to control a process by using a multiplicity of labels and detectors to signal the presence and positioning of required objects, in the correct sequence, if so desired.
The variations in color intensity and hue (together called color tone) provide variations in analog signals from a detector by using a light or lights that reflect differently on the colors selected, as will be explained.
Although a rectangular label is shown, the varying color tones may be circular wherein on any radial line, the color tones would vary as now shown in the drawings with variations along a longitudinal line. The tone pattern also could be annular so that one color tone would be present and the tone would vary as a path was generated around the center, like the sweep of a compass needle.
The simple design and shape shown is for illustration. By providing various color variations in both color hue and color intensity, many different signal shapes can be achieved for coding.
The present invention further comprises utilizing a continuous color tone background label, which is then overlaid or intermixed with black bar code marks or black stripes, or with black printed letters or graphics and which are coded for infrared detection as to some of the strips or printed material with some bars or materials being nondetectable with infrared light. In order to accomplish this, infrared absorbing black is used on some of the black bar code marks or strips to absorb infrared radiation or light, but others of the marks or strips are of a visually black mark that reflects infrared. Certain process color black reflects infrared light, rather than absorbing it. Although this process color black looks black to the naked eye, it is made using cyan, yellow and magenta primary colors which are commonly used in a color printer ribbon and which can create black printed images on the printed substrate.
An analog signal is generated from the continuous tone color with the sensors used. The analog signal contains abrupt signals caused by detection of the black strips.
The continuous color tone label would still permit identification using that continuous color tone concept, even with the infrared sensitive and non-infrared sensitive black bars or marks overlaid over the continuous color tone.